Rezidor Hotels to Cut Energy Usage by 25%

Rezidor, a member of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, has launched a group-wide energy-saving initiative – Think Planet – to reduce energy consumption 25 percent by 2016 in all Rezidor hotels across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The group is currently in 70 countries where more than 330 hotels of the brands Radisson Blu, Park Inn by Radisson and Hotel Missoni are operated, and 100 further properties are under development.

Think Planet has been developed and is driven by a specially formed, interdepartmental and cross-regional team at Rezidor, with representatives from technical services, operations, purchasing, finance, and responsible business. Think Planet’s first phase, a company-wide energy audit, resulted in a general energy action plan listing the group’s top energy priorities.

In hotel operations, Think Planet will focus on creating smart energy habits such as switching off lights and equipment, turning heating and cooling to eco-mode, and reporting energy-related issues. The basic Think Planet tools comprise daylight and motion sensors for lighting, condensation water recuperation from air-conditioning, and alarms on freezers. Investments are being made to completely move to energy efficient lighting in all hotels, install variable extraction systems in the kitchens, and optimize building management systems and HVAC installations.

According to BusinessGreen, the hotelier also will replace all its lighting in public spaces with LED bulbs by 2013. Rezidor has hired Philips to make the transition to LED as part of Think Planet. Philips will provide technical, as well as design assistance to ensure the lighting creates the appropriate hotel ambiance. In 2011, Rezidor installed LED signage in all new and refurbished hotels.